One year after its acquisition by The Specialist Group (TSG), NLIST is showing clear acceleration in growth. The company expanded into a larger office in Meppel and the relocated from Heerhugowaard to a new, larger office in Haarlem. In addition, the teams were strengthened with five FTE, including additional recruiters and an expanded relocation and back-office team, increasing commercial capacity. At the same time, the company has maintained its entrepreneurial culture. NLIST is also on track to support a record number of 200 technical specialists in finding employment in the Netherlands in 2026. That same year, NLIST was ranked number 19 among Europe’s fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times.

The technical labour market continues to face structural pressure. The energy transition alone is expected to require an additional 30,000 technical specialists. To meet this demand, NLIST offers an accelerated training programme for South African specialists, preparing them for roles in low-voltage electricity networks (Dutch mbo-3, including Stipel certification). Thanks to rapid language acquisition, they can be deployed quickly in underground infrastructure projects. In this way, NLIST helps grid operators and contractors address capacity shortages while safeguarding quality and safety.

Over the past seven years, NLIST has successfully supported more than 800 technical specialists from South Africa in their transition to the Netherlands. These specialists receive comprehensive support with employment, documentation and integration. “We start with the candidate and then find the right match with our clients. That is how we create sustainable placements,” says Managing Partner Stephanie van der Toorn-Faas. “Specialists initially join NLIST, after which the most move into permanent roles with clients and settle in the Netherlands for the long term. For us, that is the ultimate confirmation that our approach works.”

Growth while preserving culture
“Our way of working has not changed much, but our strategic capabilities have increased significantly,” says Roy Beekman, New Business Manager responsible for client growth. The recruitment, relocation, back-office and commercial teams have all been expanded, increasing the company’s capacity to support clients. “NLIST is driven by people. The acquisition by TSG has accelerated our growth, while our culture and entrepreneurial spirit have remained intact,” adds Stephanie.

The recruitment team has a South African background. Partners of placed specialists have also joined the organisation, contributing to further growth and cultural alignment.

Collaboration within TSG delivers immediate results
Through STAR, which is also part of TSG, the first joint placements have already been realised, including in the industrial sector. For example, the BP refinery in Rotterdam has expanded its team with three South African specialists, with a fourth in preparation – a clear example of added value for clients. By combining expertise, networks and specialisations, clients can be supported more quickly in filling hard-to-find technical profiles. In the coming period, the focus will be on further strengthening collaboration between NLIST and STAR within the group and supporting shared clients. In addition, NLIST is exploring international expansion opportunities in other markets including Belgium and Germany.

“The growth of NLIST demonstrates how we combine scale with entrepreneurship within The Specialist Group,” says Sil Hoeve, CEO of The Specialist Group. “This enables us to respond more effectively to the shortage of technical specialists in our core markets and better support our clients.”

“The first year after the acquisition was focused on getting to know each another and strengthening the foundation,” concludes Roy. “Now we are building on that. With the additional strength of TSG, we can accelerate growth and increase our impact for both clients and specialists.”